


it only takes a taste

by LydiaOfNarnia



Category: Band of Brothers
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Can be read as gen or romantic, Coffee Shops, F/M, Gen, either way they're both really cute
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-27
Updated: 2017-06-27
Packaged: 2018-11-19 21:21:43
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 812
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11321994
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LydiaOfNarnia/pseuds/LydiaOfNarnia
Summary: “Uhh… excuse me,” a voice right next to her says, and Renee’s stomach plunges. She turns, expecting to see another person barely holding back their laughter. Instead she is met by a familiar face, dark eyes studying her without a hint of amusement. “I think I picked up your coffee by mistake.”(written for the Tumblr prompt“I think I picked up your coffee by mistake.”)





	it only takes a taste

**Author's Note:**

  * For [distractionpie](https://archiveofourown.org/users/distractionpie/gifts).



> Written for [damnyoualex](http://damnyoualex.tumblr.com/) on tumblr, [distractionpie](http://archiveofourown.org/users/distractionpie) on AO3!!
> 
> Of course, the characters in this fic are based off of their fictional portrayals from the miniseries Band of Brothers, and I mean no disrespect to the real-life veterans!
> 
> Find me on tumblr at [renelemaires](http://renelemaires.tumblr.com/)!

It only takes one sip for Renee to realize that something is very wrong.

All of her self-control can’t keep her from gagging on the rush of bitter liquid that suddenly invades her mouth. She’s been expecting a rush of cream and chocolatey sweetness, cool to counter the humid air outside. Piping hot coffee that burns her tongue and floods her mouth with sourness isn’t just unwelcome – it’s _offensive._

She chokes. She can’t help it. The next second she is doubling to the side, spitting the mouthful of coffee into the nearest garbage can. This is followed by an exaggerated fit of coughing, which lasts for almost ten seconds before how _bizarre_ she must look to the rest of the shop hits her.

Renee lifts up her head, eyes wide, to find the barista behind the counter gaping at her. The one guy in the corner typing on his laptop looks like he appreciates the distraction, and the study buddies next to the window who have been flirting for the past hour are now giggling at her. Renee feels her cheeks flush, and she hastily wipes at her face in case any of the awful coffee has dribbled down her chin.

“Uhh… excuse me,” a voice right next to her says, and Renee’s stomach plunges. She turns, expecting to see another person barely holding back their laughter. Instead she is met by a familiar face, dark eyes studying her without a hint of amusement.

She recognizes him. He’s Eugene Roe, who sits a few seats away from her in her Human Physiology class. They share half of their courses, but Renee hasn’t talked to him once. Eugene is quiet, and since they’re only a month into the school year she hasn’t gotten the chance. Of all the ways she imagined their first conversation would go, _this_ never crossed her mind.

Then she realizes Eugene is holding something out to her. “I think I picked up your coffee by mistake.”

Renee gapes down at the cup in his hand, then looks to the monstrosity that she’s holding. It’s true – her name is scribbled on the side of his cup in Smokey Gordon’s familiar scrawl, while Renee’s cup bears a telltale ‘Roe’.

She looks back up at him again, unable to mask her horror. “You drink _this?”_ she exclaims, holding up the cup. Her words don’t fully catch up to her until they’ve left her mouth; and, if possible, her face flushes even further. That’s when Eugene’s lips twitch. As good as his poker face is, he’s trying hard not to laugh.

“Could say the same thing to you,” he replies. “I almost wanted to do a spittake myself when I tasted this. All that sugar ain’t healthy.”

They’re both medical students, so they would know. Renee, however, has long since resigned herself to the knowledge that if she dies, it will be with the taste of chocolate on her lips.

“I think this is more likely to kill you,” she says, as she delicately lifts her coffee from his grasp and hands him his own. “There’s more caffeine in that than there is coffee.”

“If I have a heart attack, I’m gonna be productive while doing it,” he replies. She can’t help but smile, a laugh bubbling from her mouth before she can stop it. Eugene’s expression warms a bit more. He looks as close to friendly as she’s ever seen him.

“You have to prove your dominance over all the other poor, overworked med students,” she replies, before it occurs to her that though she knows who Eugene is, he might not have recognize her. “I’m in some of your classes –”

“I know who you are, Renee,” he replies, sounding genial. “Even when you’re not spitting coffee everywhere, you’re hard to miss.”

Embarassed, Renee takes a sip from her own cup; Eugene does the same. She is relieved by the familiar rush of her usual order. Her coffee is in tact, and everything is right with the world.

She waits for the feeling of peace to settle over her before she looks at Eugene once more. He is still watching her, those dark eyes intense and thoughtful. She’s embarrassed herself enough, but Renee can’t help but want to keep this conversation from ending. She’s wanted to talk to Eugene for a while. Now that she has, she thinks she’d like to get to know him better.

“I always get coffee here before heading to Ambrose Hall,” she explains, and holds up her coffee cup as an example. “For Biology.”

“I have that class now,” Eugene offers. “Same as you.”

Renee knows this, and she was hoping Eugene would say just that. “Let’s walk together,” she suggests brightly. When Eugene smiles back at her, a firework of warmth bursts in her chest. It is the sweeter than any coffee could hope to be.


End file.
